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“What? You told me to go ahead and activate savage mode, right Ju?” Pretty Boy asked her.
“Yup. I’m just shaking my head because I know my sister. This won’t end well for her if she doesn’t stop being stupid. That’s an entirely different story though. Let’s get shit together for this motherfucking vote tonight.” Juju stood and I watched her cute little ass bounce. I wanted to bite it.
I reached out and grabbed a handful and she smirked at me over her shoulder. Her cute ass dimple popping out. “I want to put it on the record that I don’t agree with this voting shit,” Ju said after slapping my hand away from her ass.
“I know, but you trust your man so we’ll be good.” The way she looked at me let me know she put her full trust in me. I wasn’t going to let her or anyone else who trusted me down.
…
Sumo showed up at the apartment at 7:55 PM. Pretty Boy let him in while Juju stood back glaring, and I watched silently. He carried two black backpacks with him that sent Juju’s hand to her gun.
“Chill. No weapons,” Sumo said, tossing the bags on the floor and holding his hands up. “I brought back the money I stole from the storehouses as an act of good faith.” He looked at me with apologetic, shameful eyes. I nodded to Pretty Boy and he checked the bags.
“I’m not counting this shit right now, but it’s all cash,” he told me, looking in the bags. I slapped hands with Sumo and he offered a small smile.
“How you doing, Juju?” Sumo asked. She looked behind herself then at Sumo.
“Are you talking to me?” She asked.
“Yeah. I know we don’t usually get along but after losing Truck…” His brows pinched as he looked at the ashes on the pool table then down at the floor. “I was thinking we could try to get the fuck along. For Truck.”
My jaw flexed repeatedly. I caught Juju’s eyes from across the room and she pulled in a slow breath. “For Truck,” she said offering a clipped nod before she walked out of the apartment.
“She must have taken it hard, huh?” Sumo asked, looking at me and Pretty Boy.
“Yeah. She did,” I said clenching my teeth. “Let’s go.” When I opened the door, Dash was standing on the other side, poised to knock. “You were about to be left out,” I told him.
“I’m here, King. My bad.” He eyed Sumo with nothing but venom in his stare. “What’s good, Sumo?”
“Yeah. What’s up,” Sumo said, sizing up Dash. They shared the same chaotic energy but the difference was, Dash listened. Sumo didn’t. I couldn’t tolerate the latter.
“I decided to take the vote to Darby Park,” I told him on the way to the car. “It’s poetic. It’s where we all used to post up.”
“Yeah, man. Back in the fucking good days.” He got into my Charger. Juju rode with Pretty Boy and Dash followed in his car. Normally, we would have walked to the park but I wanted to drive this time.
We all piled onto the basketball court even though the park was closed for the night. We headed for our usual corner and I motioned for Sumo to sit in his spot. The air was still and it felt quiet but, in the distance, people could be heard laughing and talking and some kids who were out late, could be heard playing.
“I asked y'all here to witness the voting for Sumo. Just like with all votes, majority rules. If the majority votes you out, Sumo, you’re done. If they vote you in, you’re in.” He nodded his understanding and I stood behind him, putting my hands on his broad and meaty shoulders.
“Alright, Kings. Let’s vote. Who votes Sumo in?” I looked around to Juju and Pretty Boy, then to Dash since he’d been doing the observation for me all week. “Dash, I’ll allow a vote from you,” I said nodding in his direction.
Dash remained silent.
“Who votes Sumo out?” I asked, knowing the response. Everyone raised their hands, including me. My stomach was heavy as I reached behind me, pulling my gun from my waistband. My throat burned as I walked around with my gun drawn. I leaned down and kissed the side of Sumo’s head.
“You’re out, Albert.”
“I know,” he said, tears evident in his voice. “I knew I’d never get back in. I just wanted to return what I took and say I’m sorry Pretty Boy, King, Juju…” Pretty Boy let out a frustrated and pained noise as he raked his fingers over his head. I pressed the barrel of my gun to Sumo’s temple and he shut his red, glassy eyes. “King, you’ll always be my broth--” The last syllable of his sentence got cut short by my gun firing into his head.
Sumo fell over and everything fell to a hush.
The hollow sound of my heartbeat throbbed in my ears as my chest cracked open over the loss of yet another brother. And for what?
Pretty Boy walked over and knelt beside Sumo, placing his hand on him and bowing his head. I didn’t know what his last thoughts to our brother were but I turned my head to give them the privacy they deserved.
Dash didn’t look fazed at all. He walked up to me and grabbed my hand, pulling me in for a hug. “King, I respect the fuck out of you.” I saw it in his eyes. He was telling the truth. Seeing the way I handled Sumo was inspiring to him. That’s what I was hoping for.
Dash was solid as fuck. He just needed to know that going rogue and being disrespectful ended in death when you ran with the Legion of Kings. It was a lesson he needed if he wanted to stay with us.
